Line scan recorders, such as those utilized, for example, in sonar systems for providing a pictorial representation of the ocean bottom, frequently incorporate a stylus transport wherein a stylus is moved along a recording medium and in sliding contact with a guide which insures the travel of the stylus along a straight line. More recently, such recorders are being manufactured with stylus transport mechanisms which move the styli at ever increasing speeds so that the recorder is useful, not only in sonar applications, but also, for example, in biomedical applications and for signal spectrum analysis. A problem has arisen with the increased styli speeds, namely, that the higher speed sliding contact between stylus and guide produces a sufficiently high rate of wear of the stylus and/or the guide which necessitates the shutdown of the recorder for replacement of the worn parts.